Railroad-crossing.



C. MAGERKURTH.

RAILROAD CROSSING. APPLICATION FILED AUG.29. 1917.

1,260,698. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

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RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION IILEIIAus.29.IsI1.

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Patented Mar. 26, 1918..

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CHARLES MAG-ERKURTH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWENTY ONE- I-IUNDREDTHS T0 HENRY STOVER, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RAILaoAn-cnossine.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1913.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES MASER- KURTH, a citizen of Peru, residing atLos Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State'of California, have invented new andv useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings,

of which the following is a specication.

This'invention relates toa railway -cross- .ing and particularly pertains to a noiseless Yordinary construction.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.V The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings inY which:

Figure 1 is a view in plan illustrating a track intersection constructed `according. to thespirit of the present invention. y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in plan illustrating an adjustment mechanism for the actuating racks.

y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view ing-perspec-` tive illustrating one corner ofthe track intersection and disclosing in detail the elements of the device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary viewin section and elevation disclosing the operating mechanism of the device, with parts broken away for the sake ofconvenience.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate parallel rails forming a track which intersects a track formed of rails12 and 13.V The intersecting rails are united within intersection blocks 14, 15, 16 and 17. Interposed between the blocks and forming continuations of the tracks are fixed rail sections 18, 19, 2O and 21,A the rail sections 18 and 20 being in longitudinal alinement with the rails 10 and lland the rail sections 19 and 21 being in longitudinal alinement with the rails 12 and 13. These rail sections do not, however, extend the entire distance between therails, but terminate an equal distanceat each end from the intersection blocks. These 4spaces are provided to receive'vertically'movable rail j sections 22. The movable sections 22 are outer face of its movable rail section and extends into a vertical groove 25, one of which is formed along each of the two inner faces Y of each intersection block. The tongues 24 are disposed down the center of the opposite edges of the movable rail sections and are mounted to slide vertically within grooves 26 formed at each end of each iiXed rail section. Thus it will be seen that the movable rail sections may have vertical. movement in relation to the fixed rails, this movement being allowed to provide clearance for the flanges of car wheels passing along the tracks.

The vertically movable rail sections are `held in their normal uppermost positions by springs 2 7, one of which is provided for each section. These springs are formed with a hooked end portion 28 which engages a spring pin 29 extendingroutwardly from the inner face of each movable section.

`The inain leaf of the spring extends substantially horizontal and around a pivot pin 30 secured to the inner face of a stationary rail section. An adjusting shank 31 is here shown as formed integral with the spring and extending downwardly therebeneath to beengaged by an adjusting screw'32 mounted within a fixed lug 33 upon the inner face of the stationary rail member. ln this manner any desired tension-may be given the spring to resist the pressure of vehicles passing-across the track.

As particularly shown in Fig. 4, the movable rail sections, when in their normal positions, form a space 34 beneath them. This space is provided forja swinging lock block 35 which is of a height corresponding tothe width of the space and will thereby positively support the movable rail section when swung into the space. This will maintainthe rail face of the main rail, the movable rail, and the stationary rail in horizontal alinementlV The blocks 35 are secured upon vertical pivot bolts 36 which are secured to brackets 37. These brackets are fastened by suitable meansto a sub-frame 38 here shown as of channel section and as providing a' support for all of the stationary rail sections as well as the ends of the main rails. Mounted upon the upper ends of the pivot bolts 36 are gears 39 and 40 by which the blocks are alternately swung beneath the adjacent movable rail sections. These gears are in mesh QnA i cent thereto.

with racks ll and l2 formed at opposite ends oli actuating bars d3. ris Will be seen in Fig. 1, the gears and racks engage each other in such a. manner as to cause movement of one rack to swing a block beneath one movable rail section and movement oi the opposite rack to swing the same block beneath the other movable rail section adja- These racks are automatically operated by the movement ot car Wheels passing along the tracks. This operation is performedL by a trip lever del pivotally secured to the inner tace of the main rails and having its tree end extending inwardly toward the intersection so that when the car Wheel rolls along the rail toward the intersection, the lever will he swung downH vvardly and Will actuate a bell crank Illt). This crank is mounted upon a pivot pin l? on the side of the rail and connects with the end olf one oi' the racks by means o a pivoted connecting link 1l-8. lt will he understood that but one of the trip'levers is required upon each track and upon each side of the intersection. As here shown, these levers are connected With the opposite ends ofthe parallel actuating bars Vso that the mechanism will be operated when the. car approaches from either side ot the intersection.

The actuating bars 43 are slidably mounted Within hearings -19 and 50 mounted along the inner faces of the stationary rail sections. These bars are split and are provided with a turn-buckle 51 `by Which they may be lengthened or shortened so. that the blocks 35 will have proper movement in rela-- tion to the spaces 34 beneath the movable sections.

Another adjustment isV also provided theactuating bars to hold all ol the racks and pinions in positive engagement, with each other. This consists of a iiXed cam 52 mounted upon one of the supporting brackets 3l' andadapted to bear against a pin 53 which is slidably mounted with a sleeve 54. This sleeve is formed integral with, one of the blocks 35. il spring 55 is mounted Within the bore ot the pin, 53. Thus, as the pin is moved along the cam, the double inclined Yfaces of the cam will lock the block in its cxtreme positions.

Tn operation, the device is assembled as shown in Fig. l and mounted upon the base 33, after which the mechanism is suitably incloscd and the tracks are paved. Assuming that a 'car approaches the intersection :from the left along tracks .l2 and 13, in the direction as indicated by the arrow cb-'1 a front wheel of the car trucks will strike the `trip lever all at the left side of the track.V

This lever will be depressed and will draw actuating bar 43a in the direction of arrou7 L-b-, thus causing the racks 4-1 and 42 of.

this bar to actuate their respective gears 39 and 40 and swing the blocks 35 under the movable rail sections" 22 each end of the stationary rail section `i9; Simultaneously7 actuating bar e3" will be moved in the direc tion ol the arrouT -c-, 139 in the direction oli' the arrow -fZ-, and 43d in the direction oi the .arrow -V-c-. This will cause the blocks 35 in the opposite corners oi the intersection to swing beneath the movable rail sections 22 at the opposite ends ol the sta tionary rail 2l and will also cause the trip lever al secured to rail 1 3A tobe depressed.

' As the car advances, the rail flanges will en counter the unsupported movable rail sections 22 at the opposite ends of stationary rail sections 13 and 2O and Will depress them against the resistance ofthe springs ln this manner the obstructing rail sections will be yieldably held while therail sections over which the Wheels pass` will be positively supported, thus allowing the Wheels to pass 'across the intersection Without noise. When a car comes along the rails `l() and l1, the action Will be reversed and the blocks35 swung beneath the movable rail sections at the opposite ends ol thestationary rails 18 and 20 leaving the obstructingsections tree to yield under the action of the Wheels. y

Tt will thus be seen that the device here disclosed provides simple means for estahlishing continuous track-Ways across track intersections and further provides means for eliminatingl obstruction of the car Wheels by the intersecting rails.

"While T have shovvnthe preferred con# struction ot my railroad crossing as nouT known tome, it will he `understood that various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit ot' my invention as claimed.

I claim: .l

l. Tn a railroad crossing, parallel line rails, parallel cross line rails, intersection blocks connecting the line railsto` the` cross line rails, fixed rail sections between the intersection blocks; there being spaces between the ends ot the fixed rails and the intersection blocks; movable sections mounted to re- 'or yieldingly holding the-movable sections in their uppermost positions, swinging lockblocks adapted to engage under the movable sections and rigidly hold the movable sections in their uppermost positions, vertical pivot bolts upon which the swinging lock blocks are mounted, gears fixed upon the pivot bolts, racks meshing With the gears, actuating bars connectedto the racks, and trip levers pivotally mounted and connected to the actuating bars;` so that car vvlieels passing along` the track Will move thev blocks from under the movable sections and allour the car Wheel flanges to pass.

2. In a railroad crossing, `parallel line rails, parallel cross lineV rails, intersection blocks connecting the line rails to the cross line rails, fixed rail sections between the intersection blocks; there being spaces vbetween the ends of the fixed rails and the intersection blocks; movable sections mounted Vto reciprocate vertically in said spaces; there being tongue and groove connections between the movable sections, the intersection blocks, and the fixed rail sections; springs for yieldingly holding the movable sections in their uppermost positions, swinging lock blocks adapted to engage under the movable sections and rigidly hold the movable sections in their uppermost positions, vertical pivot bolts upon which the swinging lock blocks are mounted, gears fixed upon the pivot bolts, racks meshing with the gears, actuating hars connected tothe racks, and

trip levers pivotally mounted and connectedV to the actuating bars; so that car Wheels passing along the track Vwill move the blocks from under the movable sections and allow the car Wheel flanges to pass.

vIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES MAGERKURTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve ,cents each, by addressing; the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. C. 

